Advisory Opinion: 1447

Year Issued: 1992

RPC(s): RPC 7.3

Subject: Solicitation; lawyer employed by non-profit to provide legal advice to members may represent members on related matters for fee

The Committee reviewed your inquiry concerning your employment by a non-profit corporation to provide rudimentary legal advice to members of the organization concerning the Crime Victim's Compensation Act, and other matters. Your question concerned whether you may undertake to provide representation to those persons on related matters for which you would be paid a fee.

The Committee was of the opinion that nothing in the Rules of Professional Conduct would prohibit you from undertaking such representation, provided that you otherwise complied with the solicitation rules in Title 7 of the RPCs.

Advisory Opinions are provided for the education of the Bar and reflect the opinion of the Committee on Professional Ethics (CPE) or its predecessors. Advisory Opinions are provided pursuant to the authorization granted by the Board of Governors, but are not individually approved by the Board and do not reflect the official position of the Bar association. Laws other than the Washington State Rules of Professional Conduct may apply to the inquiry. The Committee's answer does not include or opine about any other applicable law other than the meaning of the Rules of Professional Conduct.